Video processing technique for 3D target location identification

Abstract

A method and system for determining the location of objects using a plurality of full motion video cameras where the location is based on the intersecting portions of a plurality of three-dimensional shapes that are generated from the video data provided by the cameras. The three-dimensional shapes include two-dimensional shapes that contain predetermined traits in each of the frames of the video signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of determining the location of objects, the method comprising:
 receiving a video signal from each of a plurality of full motion video cameras observing an area; 
 identifying predetermined traits in frames of each video signal, the predetermined traits being associated with the objects; 
 demarcating a portion of the video frame with a two-dimensional shape, the demarcated portion containing the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal; 
 assigning geospatial information to the two-dimensional shape containing the identified predetermined traits, the geospatial information representing a location of a camera that acquired the frame; 
 defining a plurality of three-dimensional shapes, each three-dimensional shape extending from a distance beyond the objects to the location of the camera for each frame of the video signal including the predetermined traits, each three-dimensional shape including a two-dimensional shape with the geospatial information; 
 identifying each of the full motion video cameras associated with overlapping coverage of the area that provided the video signal where the two-dimensional shape demarcates the identified predetermined traits; 
 calculating intersecting portions of the plural three-dimensional shapes by applying an intersect function to the defined three-dimensional shapes obtained from the full motion video cameras with overlapping coverage of the area, the intersect function outputting an intersecting shape; and 
 determining a center of the intersecting shape, the center of the intercepting shape being a determined location of the object. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an angle of expansion of the three-dimensional shape is in based on a focal length of the video camera. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional shapes include a first plane closest to each of the plurality of full motion video cameras and a second plane further from each of the plurality of full motion video cameras, wherein boundaries of the three-dimensional shapes are defined by the first and second planes. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified predetermined traits represent motion of an object in multiple frames of the video signal. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified predetermined traits are recognized objects. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined traits to be identified are changed based on additional detected signals. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each frame of each video signal includes a timestamp. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calculation of the intersecting portions occurs based on the defined three-dimensional shapes created from two-dimensional shapes surrounding the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal, wherein each of the frames have a common timestamp. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a third party provides inputs that change the predetermined traits to be identified. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of full motion video cameras includes cameras with different focal lengths. 
     
     
       11. A system for determining the location of an object, the system comprising:
 a plurality of full motion video cameras observing an area; 
 a computing device configured to define three-dimensional shapes by:
 receiving a video signal from each of the plurality of full motion video cameras; 
 identifying predetermined traits in frames of each video signal, the predetermined traits being associated with the objects; 
 demarcating a portion of the video frame with a two-dimensional shape, the demarcated portion containing the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal; 
 assigning geospatial information to the two-dimensional shape containing the identified predetermined traits, the geospatial information representing a location of a camera that acquired the frame; 
 defining a plurality of three-dimensional shapes, each three-dimensional shape extending from a distance beyond the objects to the location of the camera for each frame of the video signal including the predetermined traits, each three-dimensional shape including a two-dimensional shape with the geospatial information; and 
 storing the defined three-dimensional shapes; 
 
 an intersecting shape computing device configured to define an intersecting shape by:
 identifying each of the full motion video cameras associated with overlapping coverage of the area that provided the video signal where the two-dimensional shape demarcates the identified predetermined traits; 
 calculating intersecting portions of the plurality of three-dimensional shapes by applying an intersect function to the defined three-dimensional shapes obtained from the full motion video cameras with overlapping coverage of the area, the intersect function outputting an intersecting shape; 
 determining a center of the intersecting shape, the center of the intercepting shape being a determined location of the object; and 
 storing the determined location of the object. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein an angle of expansion of the three-dimensional shape is in based on a focal length of the video camera. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the three-dimensional shapes include a first plane closest to each of the plurality of full motion video cameras and a second plane further from each of the plurality of full motion video cameras, wherein boundaries of the three-dimensional shapes are defined by the first and second planes. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identified predetermined traits represent motion of an object in multiple frames of the video signal. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identified predetermined traits are recognized objects. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined traits to be identified are changed based on additional detected signals. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 11 , wherein each frame of each video signal includes a timestamp. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the calculation of the intersecting portions occurs based on the defined three-dimensional shapes created from two-dimensional shapes surrounding the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal, wherein each of the frames have a common timestamp. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the center of the intersecting shape is transmitted to a third party. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of full motion video cameras includes cameras with different focal lengths.